


Mint Scent ᵈᵒʷᵒᵒ

by EndlessDowoo



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Humor, M/M, a hint of angst, a little bit of emo jungwoo, nonAU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-18
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2020-05-14 09:34:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19270552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EndlessDowoo/pseuds/EndlessDowoo
Summary: JungWoo just wanted to have his scent close.He just wanted it close.© CosmosLycoris





	1. Chapter 1

“What’s that?”

“What are you talking about?”

“That!” the boy insisted as he pointed to the plastic container that Jungwoo was holding in his arms, in an unsuccessful attempt to hide the identity of the object.

“Nothing important.”

“Come on, tell me.”

“It's just a shampoo” finally, the older gave in and showed Jeno a bottle of hair soap.

“ _Mint Scent, fragrance for man_ ” the boy read carefully and then, astonished, looked at Jungwoo, who tried to avoid his eyes.

“I told you it was nothing special” he was nervous and seemed to be urged to leave that place.

“But you would never buy a product like this” Jeno debated. “You always say that things like beauty products and clothes don’t have gender and labeling them in such a way is absurd.”

The young man wasn’t lying; Jungwoo always kept that idea in mind, to the extent that he had convinced everyone around him. Dream members had learned so many things from him, including respect without distinction.

For that reason, his new roommate, Jeno, didn’t understand the reason behind the acquisition of the older.

“Leave me alone, okay?”

“Alright. I didn’t want to bother you, just surprised me a bit” after that, Jungwoo locked himself in the bathroom. He dropped down and threw away the container with the soapy liquid. He was distressed, confused, hurt.

He just wanted to have his scent close.

 

 

A couple of weeks ago, his superiors gave him the great news that he would finally be added to the 127 subunit, forming a new lineup. The company, from the beginning, thought of the different movements for the boy; It was just a matter of time, that's how things worked. On this occasion, the concept would break schemes and give the fans a totally unexpected comeback:

_“I am the irregular side of 127”_

That's what Jungwoo thought after hearing everything they had planned for him and his groupmates.

He could burst with joy. It was an opportunity that wasn’t contemplated but that is the interesting thing of NCT: the beauty that leaves you the intrigue of a group with this type of rules, that you can break and create, undo and form. Jungwoo felt blessed. He could shine and show the world what he was capable of. He would try so hard to do it well and, above all, to look good in Doyoung's eyes.

Jungwoo from time to time felt confused by the feelings that emanated towards Kim Doyoung. The twenty-year-old boy had an affectionate character with everyone: giving hugs and smiles without discretion. He felt so much love for his friends but one in particular moved him all the senses, from the most remote of every cell in his body. He altered him from the slightest fiber, making him fall completely before him.

Yes, Jungwoo felt doubtful about what Kim Doyoung was causing him and it was complicated, but it was even more difficult hiding it.

His loving nature did not allow him to remain still; he needed to caress him and embrace him, to tell him a thousand compliments about his beautiful voice, his masculine bearing, his intelligence. Everything. Jungwoo loves everything about Doyoung.

 

Too bad these things couldn’t happen in this industry.

It was a pity that everything was one-sided.

 

 

 

He had been rehearsing endlessly, doing endless photo shoots, hundreds of recordings and let’s not mention the live performances. It was so exhausting but the final result was completely worth it.

On the last day of his pre-recordings, everyone invited him to their dorm to celebrate. The first hours of the night they spent playing video games or playing cards, until it was time for Donghyuck to go to sleep, as was usual and an obligation for minors. After leaving, the others decided to toast with a few beers that the manager himself had given them for their hard performance.

Nine cans collided at the same time and sip after sip, the whole atmosphere became more animated. Taeyong scolded them so they could be less noisy but nobody paid any attention to him.

The hours passed and the group didn’t seem to give in to the tiredness, continuing with the chitchats, entertainment, dancing and improvised karaoke.

Jungwoo, exhausted, wanted to rest, but not knowing what to do, since he wasn’t in his apartment. He thought about sleeping on the sofa in the living room and most likely got up with neckache from the discomfort, until Doyoung approached.

“You can use the bathroom in my room to take a shower and then lie down on my bed. Seize that my room is the only one that has a private bathroom” he winked at him, completely captivating a Jungwoo stunned by exhaustion and a little by the effects of alcohol. Embarrassed, he obeyed and went to take a refreshing bath.

That’s how Doyoung was with the boy: kind and took care of him all the time. He encouraged him before each performance, comforted him every time he trembled with nerves and once or twice helped him to calm down him during his crisis. Actually, he was the only one who could do it; not even Taeyong himself knew how to help with his frantic emotional changes. Doyoung truly had a great weight on the emotional stability of Jungwoo.

He was the only one.

 

Upon entering the shower of his friend, this was how he came across Doyoung’s shampoo. He didn’t hesitate for a second to snoop and use it on himself.

 _“So this is the secret to his aroma”_ the boy thought as he massaged his head and enjoyed the sensation. There was no doubt that the chemical was an important factor for Doyoung’s essence, mixed with his natural perfume made a sublime combination for Jungwoo’s sense of smell.

Out of the thousands of attractive visual and character qualities from Doyoung, right at that moment, the smell of the person he likes most in the world, became his favorite thing.

 

 

So now he was locked up, conflicted, reproaching how ridiculous he had been for having bought the same shampoo. He called himself a stalker, being hard on himself as always.

“You’re so clumsy. You're not even going to use it” he told the air. “But it’s inevitable.”

Jungwoo just wanted to have him close.

 

 

“Jungwoo it’s already late. Jaemin prepared breakfast.”

“Jeno, how do you do it?” The elder asked, just like that, but with a slightly worrying tone.

“Do what?”

“So that you and Jaemin do well together. No one tells you anything and everything seems to be fine despite how difficult it is to hide it.”

Jeno sighed, trying to find the right words. He was never good at those things and less in giving advice to someone older. He had always wanted to grow as someone wise for occasions like this, but now he still didn’t have enough confidence in his touch with people; that was always Jaemin.

“It's because we've known each other for too long and to be honest, we don’t hide it. It just is not obvious. It's almost natural because of how long we’ve been together. I guess everyone else knows it too and they are ok with it” Jeno paused, because he was really working hard to say the right thing and be helpful. “We are family, Jungwoo. Nobody here is going to judge you; nobody is going to change the way you treat yourself and we will never stop loving you. You know?” Jeno waited for some answer, without getting even a facial reaction. “You have taught us to have our minds and hearts free and open to the world. You can trust us.”

Jungwoo didn’t answer, he just flooded himself in thought. The youngest was right. Everyone was aware of the relationship between those two, since the beginning, and nobody ever felt uncomfortable or dissatisfied with the situation.

He really had good friends. The differences of mentalities managed to cover different mentalities and open the eyes of some who still lived in a small world. They expanded their horizons and not only in terms of culture and language, but also of beliefs and morals. So many people sharing knowledge only bring more knowledge.

The real problem was that it was unilateral.

“I’ll join you guys in a second” he told Jeno so he could leave him alone and he understood, leaving right away.

Jungwoo was confused, more than ever. He blamed his arduous agenda for the group's upcoming comeback. His mind was on edge and about to break. The worst thing is that he didn’t have the opportunity to share as much with Doyoung as he had imagined. Everything was too calculated, monotonous and direct. In the end, they were divided by living in different departments. This became a torture for Jungwoo, not being able to stop thinking about that other boy, adding the few hours of sleep, working all day and the little that he ate, they were a disturbing mixture.

He couldn’t tell anyone and get help. He was locked up.

His only relief of the day was a shower, with that new perfume he had gotten. So he brightened a little and took a seat for breakfast.

“Hey, I'm not going to let you refuse my food” Jaemin raised his voice, startling all his friends at the table.

“Nana, you can’t talk to him like that” Renjun refuted.

“But he's right. Jungwoo has been eating too little. It's not right” Chenle joined the discussion.

Jungwoo ignored the whole debate. He nibbled a hot cake and left, leaving everyone in silence and restless. The boys looked at Jeno, clearly for him go help the older, since this was his roommate.

“You guys know that I am terrible in this” not even that got him off the hook.

He entered the room cautiously, seeing no trace of the older. He wished that his elders would be in the department right now instead of being on a trip for a project from which had very few details. Probably Kun would’ve been more helpful or even noisy Lucas would’ve solved everything with some nonsense that would make Jungwoo laugh. He thought that even Ten could get his friend out of there and take a relaxing walk, but Jeno was not prepared.

After taking a quick look at the room, he didn’t see anyone and the only place left was the bathroom, in the next room. He hurried and knocked on the door.

“Jungwoo please, don’t upset Jaemin. You know he's very sensitive with the food he prepares” again he knocked on the door. “Jungwoo” the younger was alarmed, because it was too suspicious that he didn’t hear even a tiny noise. He tried to turn the knob, but it was locked. He shouted several times to his roommate to open the door, because crazily knocking on it was useless.

“What's wrong?” Renjun shouted angrily at how noisy Jeno was.

“Help! Jungwoo is inside and doesn’t answer.”

“Dammit, dammit, what do we do?” Renjun had a mental block because of the abrupt change of emotions in the situation, fearing something bad had happened to his friend.

“Hurry, go the spare key,” he quickly ordered the Chinese. “We did got one a couple of days ago because Chenle was locked up by accident” Renjun obeyed and ran quickly. Meanwhile, Jeno, impatient and trembling, quickly grabbed his cell phone, calling someone.

“Come quickly, it's Jungwoo” that was enough. The recipient hung up to go to the Dream's bedroom. Jeno called whom everyone knew could help Jungwoo better than anyone.


	2. Chapter 2

In Jungwoo’s mind nothing existed, only a breeze carrying multiple odors. The background without color or maybe with too much color. With opaque light that only restated the empty. He could sense some pangs in his forehead but couldn’t move to give himself a massage or at least stand up. It seemed like he was made of stone or sculpted-like, no matter how much effort he put into, he couldn’t articulate none of his extremities, which caused him dread, impotence and despair. He blamed himself for being so weak, because he awarded that it was the overcharge of weight, both the pressure and the different stress factors that lead him to the point of doing short circuit. How was he going to get out of this state? Would he recover? He really hated not being able to be what he proposed himself: so firm not to see his companions from afar, but walking to his side, right next to Doyoung.

Doyoung... The boy, when thinking of his elder, automatically awarded him the mint aroma and it seemed like it was the first peace sign between all that stage of unleashed darkness. He was aware that he fainted, it’s like in that limbo effect where you know what you’re dreaming of and you try to wake up. Until his sense of smell perceived although very subtly, something really familiar: the shampoo. Suddenly, he began to analyze if he had already used the product and because of that the scent came to him. For putting so much effort in remembering, it took him a while to realize that his body was turning warm, like wrapped in a soft blanket of fine wool, comfortingly and friendly touch. Then his face was touched and like that, he got to regain control of his body in an ascending way: first he moved his hand, subsequently he stretched his legs and finally his eyes were open with difficulty at the time of emphasizing the pictures around him. He breathed deeply, as much as he hadn’t done it in days and because of that, he was hit by the aforementioned menthol perfume.

“Jungwoo, Zeus. Wake up, please”, the boy heard his name with difficulty but he was already conscious of someone talking to him. A caress lead him back to normality, making the effect of a revitalizing dose of some medicine. Arms wrapped around him, laying his head on the bicep of the man and observed a dreamlike profile, light and short eyelashes, attractive for being so simple, a dim skin and that melodic voice he had enjoyed in multiple songs, the ones he knew from the beginning to the end, one way and the other way round in more than one language. Was he hallucinating by the blow that occurred when falling to the ground? Because all those characteristics reminded him of his beloved Doyoung.

“Doyoung?”, he asked sleepy, then focusing better and giving a proper look to the mysterious man. A fleeting ten seconds passed, after noticing that, effectively, it was Kim Doyoung and he moved immediately by mere reflex. He showed away the boy and suddenly stood up, hitting him hard and making him dizzy.

“Hey, you need to be more careful, you’re sensitive”, the oldest scolded him. Jungwoo ignored him, he was more worried for Doyoung’s presence than for having fainted and have gotten an inflation in the back of his neck.

“What are you doing here?”

“What kind of question is that?”, Doyoung had his temple wrinkled, mad because of Jungwoo’s careless behavior. “Do you mind if you explain to me why you fainted. Damn, Jungwoo, you’re and idol, you have to know how to take care of yourself. Not even kids have these kind of slumps”, he was being cruel but accurate. Jungwoo looked down and he couldn’t more. The cherry on the cake was that the boy he loved the most, found him in that state and scolded him after that.

The boy cried, shedding tears and feeling he had stuck in his throat since past times. In most occasions he managed to cope with anxiety, going with good specialists calmed him and feeling the support of those who were around him was encouraging, but the mind is too powerful and the main factor of corporal degradation. So many things in his mind just provoked a louder shriek from Jungwoo, that despite being quite loud, it gave the impression of being so small and with the need of being protected.

That, Doyoung knew. He was conscious of everything and he also felt the urge of taking care of him, now more than ever.

“I’m sorry, I was too rough”, the elder’s voice softened and his guard went down to calm the tension in his body. “It’s just that I was so worried and it scared me seeing how you didn’t open your eyes”, Doyoung talked with so much honesty, to be able to reach the other’s heart and trying to stop his crying. “I’m sorry for making me angry, I just didn’t know how to react”, said the last, he came close and without asking for permission, he hugged Jungwoo. He wrapped him and with his hand he laid the other’s head in his shoulder to let him lay his forehead right there, where it had become Jungwoo’s shelter. He couldn’t avoid it, he had drenched Doyoung’s t-shirt. But this time, he let himself feel comfortable at the moment of liberation, because Doyoung was there, for him.

“I don’t know what I would be, if something happened to you”, he suddenly whispered to him. Like the snow falling slowly and laying on the ground covered in white, that’s how Jungwoo thought he sounded in that occasion, the other’s voice. “Jungwoo, I promise you I’m going to protect you forever. I promise”, and in that moment, none of the two could sense the fast beating of the other’s heart, because they were too concentrated in calming their own, so they don’t get exposed. Probably, they sounded so strongly that they were hiding between them, in a coordinated symphony.

Jungwoo was forced to separate himself from the one he had named ‘his little piece of paradise’. “I’m better, thank you”, at that volume and for anyone, that would’ve been impossible to hear, but Doyoung understood perfectly.

“I’m glad. C’mon, let’s make you a tea”, Jungwoo didn’t seem very comfortable with the idea. “Don’t worry, I told the children to go for ice creams, I gave them my card. Besides, I had already finished with the activities of 127, so everything’s fine”, that was enough for Jungwoo to accept, and they went straight to the kitchen.

 

 

 

The boy was blowing the cup, cooling the cherry drink flavor and the older couldn’t stop analyzing each movement from Jungwoo, like being attentive in case he fell again, so he would be ready to go to his rescue.

“Thank you so much for the tea and for coming”, Jungwoo undoubtedly had his face hot, it didn’t matter that he hadn’t even taken a sip to his tea. After all, he was alone with Doyoung.

“Jungwoo, why didn’t you tell anyone about your condition?”, Doyoung asked suddenly. “We knew you didn’t eat as much but we thought you had it controlled”, Jungwoo was afraid for having disappointed Doyoung.

“I couldn’t control the pressure, I guess.”

“It’s not just that, right? Something else is bothering you”, inside him, Jungwoo was overwhelmed by Doyoung’s receptivity, he couldn’t mention him that he was thinking too much about the fact that he was hopelessly in love with him. He couldn’t declare to him how desperate he was for screaming to the four winds all his feelings for him. Much less he could trust in the little confidence he had in himself, because it claimed being too little for whom he cataloged as his entire world. The silent love was making him sick, simply because, he did a lot and even more for it.

“I don’t want to be a bother with my problems. Besides, work is more important than figuring out my complications.”

“Which complications?”

 _‘Being a man and loving you? Being an idol and loving you? That only me loves you and I’d never be able to tell you?’_ Jungwoo thought while he bit his lip.

“Stop Jungwoo, don’t do this to yourself. Don’t hold yourself, you’re just making everything more complicated for you”, Doyoung imposed with his presence, but in any moment he seemed angry, rather, sad. “If you don’t do it for yourself, then do it for me. Because I care a lot for you, I can’t stand looking at you like that, so broken”, Jungwoo could have cried again, but he was completely drained from a few minutes ago. Those words were so jovial, so beautiful. It was true, how could he have doubted Doyoung for so long? Being someone so kind, intelligent and understanding. He should’ve told him since the first moment he felt like it went from affection to love. It didn’t matter that he rejected him, he would never hurt him, all this time, he underestimated Doyoung.

“Do you know what kind of scent you smell like?”, Jungwoo took courage and decided to go step by step, to make it right. Doyoung shook his head. “Mint is the one that stands out”, he answered him while he was pointing to the other’s head, specifically to his hair. “I admit that I did something really dumb. I bought the same shampoo as yours”, Doyoung didn’t fully understand, but he never interrupted him and in any moment he left the seriousness.

“It’s just that I needed a way of having you so close to me every second, so that was the only thing it occurred to me. Really dumb, right? I even seem like a stalker”, he laughed slightly nervous. “Since that moment I couldn’t stop thinking of you and everything actually, I guess it was a terrible combination what made a whole mess and I just couldn’t more”, Jungwoo didn’t feel proud of that, but without doubt he would learn the lesson.

“Which means that...”, Jungwoo made a pause, incredulous that he was going to declare, in that moment, right there. After locking the secret in a strongbox for so long.

“I know”, Doyoung stopped him. To that, he opened his mouth, surprised. “I always knew.”

“You know what?”, the youngest diverted the gaze, flustered.

“I’m conscious of your feelings for me”, that only provoked a burst inside Jungwoo, whom didn’t know how to manage the emotions before the declaration.

“Since always, I think...”, both were speechless. Jungwoo wasn’t expecting any of that, even though he was given the idea of an early rejection.

“The truth is, I do too”, Doyoung, the master of words, NCT’s vocal star, MC of TV and radio shows, famous for being the philosopher within the industry, couldn’t let his thoughts flow through his voice, he was in a complicated state. “I’ve always loved you, Jungwoo.”

“Ah, but as a partner, don’t you?”, the younger didn’t know what the other wanted to express.

“No, more than that. Even more, so much that you can’t imagine, Jungwoo. I really, really love you.”

“But...”, he was a swirl of emotions increasing.

“Yes, I never told you even though I knew it was mutual”, Doyoung darkened his face. “But I got scared, you’re my first love. I didn’t know what to do and if I’m realistic, it’s too complicated. Sometimes I want to take your hand or caress your face, but I remember that cameras capture us and everything collapses. I can’t handle it and I’m afraid of affecting you or even the others”. Jungwoo soon realized that he was holding negative thoughts, because of a hostile environment, which would only judge them even if all of their friends supported them. Obviously, their romance wasn’t worth the dream of ten and eight people. They’re not like Jeno and Jaemin that know each other perfectly and have the adequate harmony to make everything flow. No, they were another case, another minds and hearts and even needs.

“I had hope that you’d forget me, so I preferred to not tell you anything”, Doyoung bit his lip because of the inconformity. “But I was selfish and now this happened, all because of me. If it’s for you, I should’ve taken the risk. I’m terrible, Jungwoo”, he buried his face between his hands, desperate. Now it was Jungwoo’s turn to take care of his beloved person, as much as he had wished. He always imagined being Doyoung’s pillar, but he always appeared strong and never gave in to anything. This new side only increased the adoration he had for Doyoung.

“We have been through a lot, right? I’m so sorry”, this time, the boy’s voice rose and it reflected security. “The only thing I will never regret is having so many feeling for you, no matter what, I’ll never let them go, just like I’ll never leave your side”, the other finally looked up and the visual contact was inevitable, but specially longed for. Because they knew that was the signal they needed to understand and accept themselves.

“I want to try it, Jungwoo”, Doyoung had never sounded so tender and sweet, all because of love’s effect.

“You’re dumb”, Jungwoo said out of nowhere, leaving the other boy frozen. “You interrupted me when I was going to declare to you. Do you know how many times I tried it in front of a mirror? It was very unfair, you stole my moment”, Doyoung released the air he was holding because of the scare and laughed slightly. His precious smile that covered most of his face made him seem so perfect and unique, giving Jungwoo a comforting brightness.

“I’ll do it now but don’t say anything, alright?”, the boy ordered him with a pout, so that he could swallow and get prepared for the big moment. “Doyoung, since the first day we found each other, I liked you because you’re simply beautiful”, the elder’s face flushed like never before and Jungwoo felt satisfied and then continued. “But when I started knowing you, to say I liked you was little and as time passed, it increased every time and even in this moment, when looking at you I feel like the amount of love I have for you doesn’t stop”, at the end, he shortened the distance and laid his smooth and thin lips on Doyoung’s forehead, in an act so sincere that melted the oldest heart, whom felt slight tickling where Jungwoo had kissed him.

“What are you doing?”, he asked Jungwoo playfully.

“It’s just that I really like the scent of your hair and I wanted to take advantage of it”, he sounded so cute on Doyoung’s ears that he sent to the air all those months of self-control and without warning, he kissed Jungwoo, but this time lips found each other, giving way to tiny electric shocks that made the moment more special. A volatile and abstract connection, that was invisible to human eyes but to the soul it was sensed as clear and strong.

Finally, he felt free. He could love with freedom, after so long, his precious Jungwoo for whom he would give everything for his good. He wasn’t going to abandon his dreams for the relationship, but he would fight so both their dreams would make it, being together, reaching the goal.

Jungwoo felt himself traveling through the cosmos, touching the planets, being somewhere better than just a dream. That kiss, brought life back to him.

“You smell like mint”, said the boy at the time of separation. “I like it”, Jungwoo always wanted to tell that to Doyoung and this would be one of the thousand things he always wished to express to him and as time goes by, he wouldn’t have to hide. He would scream it to the four winds if necessary.

“And I like you.”

“I love you Doyoung.”

“I love you Jungwoo.”


End file.
